Modern Blues CD & DVD Reviews
Reviews of CDs and DVDs by contemporary blues artists.
Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughan - In Session
Review the Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughan In Session album, a 1983 collaboration between the two great blues guitarists.
Review the Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughan In Session album, a 1983 collaboration between the two great blues guitarists.
Avalon Blues - A Tribute To The Music Of Mississippi John Hurt (2001)
Album review of Avalon Blues - A Tribute To The Music Of Mississippi John Hurt, featuring the talents of artists like Peter Case, Dave Alvin, John Hiatt, Bonnie Raitt, and Taj Mahal, among others.
Album review of Avalon Blues - A Tribute To The Music Of Mississippi John Hurt, featuring the talents of artists like Peter Case, Dave Alvin, John Hiatt, Bonnie Raitt, and Taj Mahal, among others.
B.B. King - Blues On The Bayou (1998)
Review of B.B. King's Blues On The Bayou album, a collection of new and classic blues tunes recorded by King and his band in Louisiana.
Review of B.B. King's Blues On The Bayou album, a collection of new and classic blues tunes recorded by King and his band in Louisiana.
B.B. King - Live At Montreux 1993 DVD (2009)
Review of B.B. King's Live At Montreux 1993 DVD, a rock-solid collection of performances from the annual jazz festival
Review of B.B. King's Live At Montreux 1993 DVD, a rock-solid collection of performances from the annual jazz festival
B.B. King - One Kind Favor (2008)
Review of B.B. King's One Kind Favor album, produced by T-Bone Burnett and featuring a selection of the blues guitarist's favorite blues songs from the 1930s, '40s and '50s.
Review of B.B. King's One Kind Favor album, produced by T-Bone Burnett and featuring a selection of the blues guitarist's favorite blues songs from the 1930s, '40s and '50s.
Big Mama Thornton - With The Muddy Waters Blues Band (1966)
Album review of With The Muddy Waters Blues Band 1966 by Big Mama Thornton, performing with Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, and James Cotton.
Album review of With The Muddy Waters Blues Band 1966 by Big Mama Thornton, performing with Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, and James Cotton.
Blind Arvella Gray - The Singing Drifter (2005)
Album review of Blind Arvella Gray's The Singing Drifter album, the Chicago blues street singer's lone 1972 album reissued by Conjuroo Recordings.
Album review of Blind Arvella Gray's The Singing Drifter album, the Chicago blues street singer's lone 1972 album reissued by Conjuroo Recordings.
Bo Diddley - Ride On: The Chess Masters, 1960-1961 (2009)
Review of Bo Diddley's Ride On The Chess Masters 1960-1961 album, the third in Hip-O Select's chronological series covering Diddley's career
Review of Bo Diddley's Ride On The Chess Masters 1960-1961 album, the third in Hip-O Select's chronological series covering Diddley's career
Buddy Guy - Skin Deep (2008)
Album review of Buddy Guy's Skin Deep, which features guest stars like blues musicianss Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Eric Clapton, Robert Randolph, and the amazing nine-year-old Quinn Sullivan.
Album review of Buddy Guy's Skin Deep, which features guest stars like blues musicianss Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Eric Clapton, Robert Randolph, and the amazing nine-year-old Quinn Sullivan.
Buddy Guy - The Definitive Buddy Guy (2009)
Review of Buddy Guy's The Definitive Buddy Guy album, a career-spanning retrospective of the guitarist's 50 years in the blues.
Review of Buddy Guy's The Definitive Buddy Guy album, a career-spanning retrospective of the guitarist's 50 years in the blues.
Charlie Musselwhite - Rough Dried: Live At The Triple Door (2009)
Review of Charlie Musselwhite's Rough Dried: Live At The Triple Door album, a scorching collection of red-hot live performances.
Review of Charlie Musselwhite's Rough Dried: Live At The Triple Door album, a scorching collection of red-hot live performances.
Chris Barber Presents Lost & Found, Vol. 1 (2008)
Album review of Chris Barber Presents Lost & Found, Vol. 1 featuring vintage performances from gospel music great Sister Rosetta Tharpe and folk-blues legends Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee.
Album review of Chris Barber Presents Lost & Found, Vol. 1 featuring vintage performances from gospel music great Sister Rosetta Tharpe and folk-blues legends Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee.
Chris Barber Presents Lost & Found, Vol. 2 (2008)
Album review of Chris Barber Presents Lost & Found, Vol. 2 featuring stunning, landmark performances from Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Muddy Waters & Otis Spann, Champion Jack Dupree and Louis Jordan.
Album review of Chris Barber Presents Lost & Found, Vol. 2 featuring stunning, landmark performances from Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Muddy Waters & Otis Spann, Champion Jack Dupree and Louis Jordan.
Chris Barber Presents Lost & Found, Vol. 3 (2008)
Album review of Chris Barber Presents Lost & Found, Vol. 3 featuring historic performances from blues music legends like Sonny Boy Williamson, Howlin' Wolf with Hubert Sumlin, and Jimmy Witherspoon.
Album review of Chris Barber Presents Lost & Found, Vol. 3 featuring historic performances from blues music legends like Sonny Boy Williamson, Howlin' Wolf with Hubert Sumlin, and Jimmy Witherspoon.
Delmark Records - 55 Years of Blues (2008)
Review of Delmark Records 55 Years of Blues album, a celebration of the storied label's contributions to blues music.
Review of Delmark Records 55 Years of Blues album, a celebration of the storied label's contributions to blues music.
Eddie C. Campbell - Tear This World Up (2009)
Review of Eddie C. Campbell's Tear This World Up album, a fine collection of Chicago blues music from an underrated artist.
Review of Eddie C. Campbell's Tear This World Up album, a fine collection of Chicago blues music from an underrated artist.
Eddie Floyd - Eddie Loves You So (2008)
Review of Eddie Floyd's Eddie Loves You So album, a solid collection of classic soul music and R&B songs written by Floyd that had become hits for other artists.
Review of Eddie Floyd's Eddie Loves You So album, a solid collection of classic soul music and R&B songs written by Floyd that had become hits for other artists.
Furry Lewis - Heroes Of The Blues: The Very Best Of (2003)
Review of Furry Lewis' Heroes Of The Blues: The Very Best Of album, a collection of the country bluesman's finest work from the 1920s through the 1960s.
Review of Furry Lewis' Heroes Of The Blues: The Very Best Of album, a collection of the country bluesman's finest work from the 1920s through the 1960s.
Honeyboy Edwards - Roamin' and Ramblin' (2008)
Review of Honeyboy Edwards' Roamin' and Ramblin' album, a fine collection of blues guitar and harp duets between Delta bluesman Edwards and harp players like Billy Branch, Big Walter Horton, and Bobby Rush.
Review of Honeyboy Edwards' Roamin' and Ramblin' album, a fine collection of blues guitar and harp duets between Delta bluesman Edwards and harp players like Billy Branch, Big Walter Horton, and Bobby Rush.
Howlin' Wolf - Ain't Gonna Be Your Dog (1994)
Review of Howlin Wolf's Ain't Gonna Be Your Dog album, a hard-to-find but worth whatever you pay for it collection of the blues great's early recordings.
Review of Howlin Wolf's Ain't Gonna Be Your Dog album, a hard-to-find but worth whatever you pay for it collection of the blues great's early recordings.
Howlin' Wolf - Memphis Days: The Definitive Edition, Vol. 1 (1989)
Review of Howlin' Wolf's Memphis Days: The Definitive Edition, Vol. 1 album, an essential collection of the blues music great's earliest and most rare recordings.
Review of Howlin' Wolf's Memphis Days: The Definitive Edition, Vol. 1 album, an essential collection of the blues music great's earliest and most rare recordings.
Howlin' Wolf - Rockin' The Blues: Live In Germany 1964 (2008)
Review of Howlin' Wolf's Rockin' The Blues: Live In Germany 1964 album, an electrifying rare live document of the blues legend.
Review of Howlin' Wolf's Rockin' The Blues: Live In Germany 1964 album, an electrifying rare live document of the blues legend.
John Lee Hooker - 50 Years: The John Lee Hooker Anthology (2009)
Review of John Lee Hooker's 50 Years: The John Lee Hooker Anthology album, a two-disc collection that tracks the blues great's career from start to finish.
Review of John Lee Hooker's 50 Years: The John Lee Hooker Anthology album, a two-disc collection that tracks the blues great's career from start to finish.
John Lee Hooker - Boom Boom (1992/2007)
Review of John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom album, a fine 1992 collection that revisits the blues legend's past hits
Review of John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom album, a fine 1992 collection that revisits the blues legend's past hits
John Lee Hooker - Don't Look Back (1997/2007)
Review of John Lee Hooker's Don't Look Back album, a fine 1997 collection produced by Van Morrison and the blues great's final album
Review of John Lee Hooker's Don't Look Back album, a fine 1997 collection produced by Van Morrison and the blues great's final album
Little Walter - The Complete Chess Masters 1950-1967 (2009)
Review of Little Walter's The Complete Chess Masters (1950-1967), a five-disc box set documenting much of the great blues harpist's career.
Review of Little Walter's The Complete Chess Masters (1950-1967), a five-disc box set documenting much of the great blues harpist's career.
Louisiana Red & Little Victor's Juke Joint - Back to the Black Bayou (2009)
Review of Louisiana Red & Little Victor's Juke Joint's Back to the Black Bayou album, a collection of raw performances from the underrated slide guitarist
Review of Louisiana Red & Little Victor's Juke Joint's Back to the Black Bayou album, a collection of raw performances from the underrated slide guitarist
Magic Sam - The Essential Magic Sam (2001 reissue)
Review of Magic Sam's The Essential Magic Sam album, a fine collection of the talented guitarist's late-50s and early-60s recordings for the Cobra and Chief Records labels.
Review of Magic Sam's The Essential Magic Sam album, a fine collection of the talented guitarist's late-50s and early-60s recordings for the Cobra and Chief Records labels.
Mike Bloomfield - Live At The Old Waldorf (1998)
Review Mike Bloomfield's Live At The Old Waldorf album, a compilation of performances from the San Francisco blues club
Review Mike Bloomfield's Live At The Old Waldorf album, a compilation of performances from the San Francisco blues club
Mississippi Fred McDowell - The Best Of Mississippi Fred McDowell (2001)
Review of The Best Of Mississippi Fred McDowell album, a collection of the Delta blues artist's best material from the Arhoolie Records vaults.
Review of The Best Of Mississippi Fred McDowell album, a collection of the Delta blues artist's best material from the Arhoolie Records vaults.
Muddy Waters - I'm Ready (2002 reissue)
Review of Muddy Waters' I'm Ready album, a late-career triumph produced by Johnny Winter.
Review of Muddy Waters' I'm Ready album, a late-career triumph produced by Johnny Winter.
Muddy Waters - Live At ChicagoFest DVD (2009)
Review of Muddy Waters' Live At ChicagoFest DVD, a live concert film of Waters' performance at the ChicagoFest 1981 with Johnny Winter.
Review of Muddy Waters' Live At ChicagoFest DVD, a live concert film of Waters' performance at the ChicagoFest 1981 with Johnny Winter.
Muddy Waters - One More Mile (1994)
Review of Muddy Waters' One More Mile Album, a hard-to-find but worth looking for compilation of the blues great's early material.
Review of Muddy Waters' One More Mile Album, a hard-to-find but worth looking for compilation of the blues great's early material.
Otis Redding - The Best: See & Hear (2009)
Review of Otis Redding's The Best: See & Hear album, a two-disc CD/DVD compilation of hit songs and live performance video
Review of Otis Redding's The Best: See & Hear album, a two-disc CD/DVD compilation of hit songs and live performance video
Paul Butterfield Blues Band - An Anthology: The Elektra Years (1997)
Review of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band's An Anthology: The Elektra Years, a two-disc collection of 33 of the Chicago blues pioneers' best songs
Review of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band's An Anthology: The Elektra Years, a two-disc collection of 33 of the Chicago blues pioneers' best songs
Pinetop Perkins - Pinetop Perkins And Friends (2008)
Review of Pinetop Perkins' Pinetop Perkins And Friends album, guest-starring blues artists like B.B. King, Jimmie Vaughan, and Eric Clapton.
Review of Pinetop Perkins' Pinetop Perkins And Friends album, guest-starring blues artists like B.B. King, Jimmie Vaughan, and Eric Clapton.
Ray Charles - Genius The Ultimate Ray Charles Collection (2009)
Review of Ray Charles' Genius - The Ultimate Ray Charles Collection album, a 21-song collection featuring the best of Brother Ray's songs from the 1950s and '60s.
Review of Ray Charles' Genius - The Ultimate Ray Charles Collection album, a 21-song collection featuring the best of Brother Ray's songs from the 1950s and '60s.
Taj Mahal - Maestro (2008)
Review of blues legend Taj Mahal's Maestro album, which includes guest appearances from Ben Harper, Ziggy Marley, Angelique Kidjo, and Los Lobos.
Review of blues legend Taj Mahal's Maestro album, which includes guest appearances from Ben Harper, Ziggy Marley, Angelique Kidjo, and Los Lobos.
Various Artists - Chicago Blues: A Living History (2009)
Review of Chicago Blues: A Living History featuring Billy Boy Arnold, John Primer, Billy Branch & Lurrie Bell.
Review of Chicago Blues: A Living History featuring Billy Boy Arnold, John Primer, Billy Branch & Lurrie Bell.